Some politics happen at a distance — decisions made in Denver or D.C. affect us in Boulder — but the forums for the fights and most of the combatants are not our neighbors. City politics are different, as the consequences can be as meaningful while the deciders and activists are our neighbors and friends. Disappointing outcomes often feel more personal. Those who prevail wonder why those who did not can’t just move on.
Moving on from passionately held positions, however arrived at, can be difficult. Perhaps the only consolation when an outcome goes against your strong preference is knowing that your voice was heard clearly, and perhaps even helped shape the result. One benefit of robust public engagement is better government decisions, but perhaps the most important upside is holding a sense of community together after the contention is over. Public process, properly managed, is one method to bring in many voices over many years to shape long-term choices.
I’ve been lucky enough to have a ringside seat over the last decade as the community has evolved detailed plans for the former Flatirons Company gravel mining property, now CU South. The subject of how best to use Boulder’s 308-acre southern gateway has been a subject of discussion for fifty years as it passed from ranching to gravel mining to state land. That conversation arrived at the following broad consensus points about the property in 2017:
- A portion has incredible biodiversity value, especially in the riparian areas near South Boulder Creek.
- A portion is needed for life safety flood control along U.S. 36 near South Boulder Creek.
- A portion is desired for housing and limited academic development by CU.
- The public desires access to as much of the property as possible.
The part of the public conversation which established those guideposts was the 2015 major update of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP), completed and adopted 9-0 by the City Council in 2017. These consensus points are contained in the CU South Guiding Principles, a major focus of that BVCP update. With the direction provided by that plan, the development of a technically viable flood protection design, and two further Council elections, the CU South property was annexed into Boulder with a 6-1 Council vote in 2021. The annexation followed BVCP directions exactly, with all 119 acres of floodplain habitat area acquired as permanent open space, land for flood protection designated and housing-focused CU development allowed only outside of floodplains and within city guidelines.
Those who opposed annexation before and during 2021 had many opportunities to register their specific disagreements, and they did so volubly. In fact, the final agreement benefited greatly from its critics during public engagement. One of the criticisms leveled at the first public draft of the agreement was around future sales of the land — how do we keep it from being sold to a suburban sprawl developer? So, many provisions were added giving the City highly advantaged legal positions concerning property sales and strict development limits that strongly favor housing uses. Further community critiques around traffic, transportation, size and location of facilities, and building height all received specific attention in the agreement and many opportunities for public input.
The result of all of this process is not 100% public agreement in the outcome, as it could never be. In fact, the city process allows further review of a council ruling through a referendum triggered by enough petition signatures to force a public vote on the council action. The folks who still think the last decade of public decisions were all wrong have placed a measure on the ballot that voters will vote on in November. Rejection of that measure would be the final substantial step in making the last 10 years of focused community conversation a reality, including flood protection for 2,300 neighbors and two major emergency roadways during our next flood.
Since I started writing this column, Boulder has experienced a flash flood warning covering the South Boulder Creek watershed. This week, eight have died in Kentucky floods. This isn’t a drill — delay of CU South annexation and the resulting flood protections could have deadly local consequences.
Sam Weaver is a former Boulder Mayor and Council Member (2013 – 2021).
